U of L hired three entrepreneurs to aid research

The University of Louisville hired three “entrepreneurs-in-residence” (EIRs) to help their research-backed inventions make it to market quicker.

The three EIRs are: Josh Nickols, CEO of Enhale Medical, Jeff Cummins, senior finance executive and Charley Miller, co-founder and head manager of TouchCast. Each EIR will serve a six-month term, beginning in April.

Nickols said in the release that he is excited to work with U of L and to drive the innovations towards market.

According to U of L’s release, the EIRs will be responsible for guidance on product development, business planning and other activities to accelerate the commercialization of university inventions. They will be working directly with U of L’s EVPRI Commercialization EPI-Center and researchers.

President Neeli Bendapudi said, “U of L research had produced groundbreaking innovations that have impacted a great number of industries and could impact so many more.”

Bendapudi went on to say how accelerating these ideas to the market place will make the world a better place.

U of L is one of 120 U.S. universities ranked as “Research 1.” This means that U of L has high research activity according to the Carnegie Classification of Institutions of Higher Education.

Funding for the EIRs is provided by the Louisville Entrepreneurship Acceleration Partnership (LEAP). LEAP is a public-private partnership led by U of L and backed by the Kentucky Cabinet for Economic Development. They aim to grow Louisville’s entrepreneurship ecosystem.